Self-service LPG filling up around the corner!

© gazeo.comToday filling up with LPG requires certain qualifications, an appropriate certificate and proper clothing. After New Year, a pair of protective gloves will suffice

Polish law has until now been the greatest obstruction on the way to implementing self-service LPG filling-up. This is about to change and Polish drivers will be able to take the matter in their own hands as far as dispensing autogas is concerned, ultimately freed from the necessity of waiting to be served. Apparently, ministry officials have noticed that filling up with LPG is by no means more complicated or dangerous than doing the exact same thing with petrol or diesel. Current regulations need to become more liberal and indeed they are becoming so right now. In fact, the process is nearly over.

The two ministries responsible for making self-service a reality (the aforementioned Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Transport, Construction and Maritime Economy) have reached an agreement after years of quarrels and mutually passing on responsibility and are now in the phase of working together towards changing two important legal acts, crucial in terms of liberating drivers from LPG fill-up service. Once this is complete, external consultations will take place and then the ready bill will be sent over to the European Commission, which in turn will present it to all the remaining member states of the EU. The procedure may take up to three months, so it may happen we will not see self-service coming to the stations before the end of 2012. We have been waiting for so long that a couple of weeks will not make a difference now.

Importantly, self-service will not be obligatory. Fuel station owners will keep the option of hiring personnel for serving customers with LPG and drivers themselves will still be entitled to being served if they so wish. Notice that even today it is every driver's right to ask for help when filling up with petrol or diesel, but we are so much used to doing it on our own that hardly anyone requires service. Many of today's LPG-powered car owners cannot imagine themselves personally filling up with autogas, but over time the process will inevitably become habitual. All over Europe autogas users have been filling up on their own for years now and everybody seems to think it is only natural. It requires no secret knowledge or years of experience and has the potential for time-saving (no more waiting at the pump, more dispensers) and possibly also money-saving. Should need arise, somebody to help us out will always be there, so fear not – changes are always for better!